“Asians are skinny and we eat tons of rice!” A Chinese friend of mine voiced that opinion when I mentioned coming up with a diabetic-friendly, low carb substitute for his beloved white rice. 😉

My answer: Asians get diabetes, too! My Vietnamese friend’s father has had to scale back his consumption of refined carbs to keep his blood sugars under control.

Although I don’t have diabetes, I enjoy lower glycemic alternatives to starchy meals because of the carb hangover that sets in from too much Chinese takeout. The combination of starch and sweet n’ salty flavor creates a seratonin high that hits you hard, making it too easy to eat until you’re uncomfortably full. Then, the inevitable crash comes, leaving you listless and unfocused. My exam weeks in college were probably a lot more stressful than they should have been with all the Dragon Gate sesame chicken I would pack away under pressure. You can’t perform at your best when you’re riding the blood sugar roller coaster!

Enjoy the salty, flavorful goodness of a beloved Americanized asian staple and your stable blood glucose levels with this Grain-Free, Shrimp Fried “Rice”. The rice component is replaced by–get this–gratedcauliflower, prepared with the same familiar flavorings. It’ll smell funky in the pan for a moment, but then your kitchen will fill with the mouthwatering aroma of a Panda Express kitchen. Bonuses: It takes less time to cook and packs a nutritional punch (courtesy of the phytochemical-richbrassica family of veggies)!

This recipe is totally flexible. Use whatever veggies you like. Make it yours! I happened to have peas on hand, and was out of green onions. Carrots are pretty traditional in this, too. Be warned: this is just as tasty as the original, and possibly more flavorful because of how cauliflower absorbs flavor so well. Seriously, you might want to make this with a hungry friend to solve any portion control issues.

Fake out take out always taste better with chopsticks!

Shrimp Fried Cauli-Rice

2015-03-24 10:50:47

Serves 3

Get your chopsticks out! This grain-free shrimp fried “rice” is a taste substitute for take out! You can find wheat-free tamari on grocery store shelves next to the soy sauce. For a soy-free version, use coconut aminos.

Grate cauliflower using a fine cheese grater. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in heavy saucepan. Mix together sesame oil, tamari, and seasonings in a bowl. Sautee onions for 3 minutes over medium heat, or until translucent. Remove from pan and set aside. Sautee sugar snap peas until tender. Add more oil if necessary and all of the cauliflower, stir frying for a couple of minutes. Pour in 1/2 of the soy sauce mixture and stir fry to coat the cauliflower evenly. When the cauliflower is tender, add cooked vegetables, shrimp, and peas along with the rest of the soy sauce mixture. Push “rice” to the side of the pan and scramble eggs on the other side, moving spatula quickly to incorporate eggs with the “rice” mixture. Serve in cute bowls with chopsticks and pig out with no regrets!

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